After the advice given to my question on how to do some fixing up of my sash windows I thought I would ask a question on the final stage of the repairs, the painting.

After 23 years in the RN I am no stranger to bimbling round with a paintbrush and actually took some pride in preparation and finishing so am quite looking forward to this bit. Therapeutic in a strangely disengage brain and concentrate on application of the paint way.

Anyhow, a bit of further advice or opinion is needed. I was going to use Dulux Weathershield simply because it always appears to be the best. There do now however appear to be some other products available including one by Sandtex.

Has anyone experienced these new 'kids on the block'? Would you recommend them or curse the day you ever opened the tin!

Does it cover as well as Dulux? does it last as long, not just the guarantee, but in practice?

SG, Dulux has generally good paint systems, even better are the paints from Sikkens - United Kingdom. The question is, have you taken all the old paint off down to the timber, or are there just repaired patches? For the former, you can choose almost any paint system, however, for the latter, it is best to use water-based acrylic paint systems, anything else could react with the present paint causing blistering, cracking and curing failure. Whatever you use, make sure it has insect and fungal protection, if not, apply this first (and again, be certain you use all coatings from one manufacturer/system). Have fun!

How long the coatings last is not just a matter of what it says on the tin, there are many factors affecting this. Firstly, all coats must be applied as per the instructions, secondly, is the timber dry enough for the purpose (external approx 16-20% moisture content, internal will be approx 8-12%), where is the window situated? Is it continually exposed to the sun, is it on the "rain side"? I would recommend painting windows every 5-8 yrs, dependant on the above.

Thanks Aleegee. Good point about the moisture content. I shall have to go and purchase a gadget. (any excuse!).

It will be patched paintwork as most is still sound so will take the acrylic advice on-board as well. I shall do some reading on the Sikkens range.

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Sikkens (prob Dulux) do "breathable" paints, "in the old days" the idea was to encase the timber in a coating to repell all environmental effects, good idea, the only unforeseen factor being that should moisture enter through a crack in the coating,due to excessive movement, the moisture would be trapped and have free reign to rot the timber from the inside out. The modern systems are micro-porous, therefore, should moisture enter the timber, it also allows it to escape, thus prolonging the life-span of the timber considerably.

If you are patching, use the water-based system, the only disadvantage is that it may not coat over the existing paint, there is however, no alternative, other than stripping the whole casement down to the grain and starting afresh, try it out first.

The moisture content in casements is difficult to judge, depending on their age and thickness (older:40mm). Thinner, older casements will have a relative MC from approx 10-14%, the heat from within the building penetrating the timber and keeping it almost constant (dependant on season and relative humidity), the new modern casements (84 mm thick) will have a 8-10% MC internal, and due to the thickness, probably reaching 18/20 % MC external surface. However, it isnt science, its the preparation that matters! 7P s!

Living in an area of the world where paint on timber does not last long due to climate, the only paint that I would recommend is Jotun Butinox. Its expensive but it will last five years on windows facing the prevailing wind. Some other paints advertised to last that long in the 'toughest conditions' lasted less than five months! It is pricey though.

I use to use Sadolin Woodstain, but looking at the colours now, they don't do post office red that I did my front door with. The door was brand new and had to be custom made to fit the doorway of my cottage. Every few years I would clean and key the surface and repaint and it would come up even better than before.

By coincidence I was pointed to this range today while wandering round the local Paint store (Brewers not B and Q a I hasten to add) by a decorator in stocking up. I am now of the opinion that an experiment is in order. I did say I found painting enjoyable!
Taking into account I have no new windows and all of mine require some patching of the paint and at least 4 need some repairs I am going to run my own consumer study. May the best paint win. I will even risk a window using a bog standard Primer/undercoat/Gloss that is marked internal/external use.*

Of course with my luck being much the same as you Spacehopper I will find the wonder paint that does me proud and it will be promptly discontinued! Supply of Colour is not too much of an issue as we are required to have white woodwork 'in keeping with the historic status of the building'. Can't ever see gloss white going out of production for any manufacturer.

I have found sadolin to be totally useless. It may be ok down south where the weather is mild, but up in the North of Scotland facing the full brunt of Atlantic gales it is worse than useless. Lasted five months on properly prepared timber!

Hopefully my soft southern jessy windows will not be facing that sort of onslaught! Tucked away as we are at the end of the Meon valley and with lots of expensive windbreaks, sorry town-houses to lessen any impact further.

The weathershield system works well on exposed timbers in the West of Scotland, I get at least five years before it needs revisited. The undercoat is water based acrylic and the gloss is solvent based.

BTW it is totally useless on boats, did the gunnels on a grp tender and it just peeled away in big strips after six months.

I have found sadolin to be totally useless. It may be ok down south where the weather is mild, but up in the North of Scotland facing the full brunt of Atlantic gales it is worse than useless. Lasted five months on properly prepared timber!

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You could always emulate my step-father. Tasked with applying a protective coating to our garden fence, in deepest darkest Humberside as-was, he obtained some creosote from a mate. Co-incidently, said mate also handed him a container of cooking oil. Both containers were identical, as they'd been liberated from a much larger, truck-shaped source.

According to my brother, who still lives at the old place, 30 years on and the cooking oil has a lovely sheen, and still repels rainwater just as effectively as the day it was applied.

That's interesting GoodideaAtTheTime, having done a fair bit of work on the soffits, windows and doors in preparation I found that my timber was being exposed before winter was finished. Driving rain and sea spray from the South West had stripped most of the windows. Joiner mate across the hill had the same problem. We both went onto Butinox and to date; after five years the timber looks as if its only been recently pained. The downside as I mentioned before is cost, but what price having to replace doors and windows every few years?

Sikkens is the best on the market. Having done dozens of windows with the stuff the secret is in the prep. Get the wood stripped, wiped free of stripper, paper glass-smooth, dust free etc, and apply the under coat. Once you've done the under coat do 2-3 coats of top coat. Once done, in the future you need only wipe clean and apply another coat. Bloody good stuff and it lasts years.

You could always emulate my step-father. Tasked with applying a protective coating to our garden fence, in deepest darkest Humberside as-was, he obtained some creosote from a mate. Co-incidently, said mate also handed him a container of cooking oil. Both containers were identical, as they'd been liberated from a much larger, truck-shaped source.

According to my brother, who still lives at the old place, 30 years on and the cooking oil has a lovely sheen, and still repels rainwater just as effectively as the day it was applied.

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Creosote is the dogs nuts. Its almost impossible to get hold of now though. I have old GPO poles that were treated in hot creosote for three months and were erected in 1947. When I cut them for strainer posts the timber inside was brand new.
Hint: If you want your wooden fences to last, get hold of a barrel, place all fence timber into barrel and cover with old engine oil for a couple of months. Nearly as good as creosote.